Best of Milwaukee 2025 Winners: Arts and Entertainment

Art & Craft Fair/Makers Market

Milwaukee Makers Market

milwaukeemakersmarket.com  

Milwaukee Makers Market champions local Milwaukee artists, creators, designers and seasoned crafters to celebrate the city’s small businesses. This one-stop-shop experience creates an inclusive environment for local Makers to showcase their talent and connect with the Milwaukee community. For more information, visit milwaukeemakersmarket.com, or follow Milwaukee Makers Market on Facebook or Instagram. (Sophia Hamdan)

Art Gallery (Non-Museum)

Saint Kate-The Arts Hotel

saintkatearts.com/exhibitions

Saint Kate wins Best Non-Museum Art Gallery. Since its remodeling and opening in 2019, Saint Kate has sought to integrate contemporary visual art into every corner of high-class hospitality, featuring a rotating gallery exhibition, the annual artist-in-residence program, as well as artwork on every floor. Recent showings include “Undercover Cutter,” “9 Easy Pieces,” “Zurich by Late Afternoon” and “In Homage” by a variety of primarily Wisconsin or Midwest-based artists. (Julia Watt)

Art Museum

Milwaukee Art Museum

mam.org

The soaring spire of the museum’s addition by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava became Milwaukee’s symbol. The Milwaukee Art Museum has a strong permanent collection at its base, spanning the ancient world through just yesterday, and hosts significant traveling exhibitions throughout the calendar year. (David Luhrssen)

Choral Group (60 or More Performers)

Milwaukee Symphony Chorus

mso.org

“I had heard that Milwaukee was a wonderful city, a best-kept secret kind of place. And I already knew that it had a wonderful orchestra with an amazing group of musicians,” says Ken-David Masur, the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra’s outgoing music director. For the 2025-26 season, Masur looks forward to shining a spotlight on the 50th anniversary season of the Milwaukee Symphony Chorus. (David Luhrssen)

Classical Music Ensemble (60 or More Performers)

Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra

mso.org

Maestro Ken-David Masur has often referred to music’s power of reconciliation and fostering compassion. Their current season includes holiday pops and Handel’s Messiah, Beethoven and Haydn, Mozart and a screening of The Godfather as the orchestra plays Nino Rota’s score. (David Luhrssen)

Choral Group (Under 60 Performers)/Classical Music Ensemble (Under 60 Performers)

Milwaukee Chamber Choir

milwaukeechamberchoir.org

Milwaukee Chamber Choir was formed in 2013 to celebrate the 100th birthday of British composer Benjamin Britten. The volunteer choir of 25 singers perform a concert each fall and spring spanning genres from the Renaissance to the 21st century. In June 2025, MCC announced a new artistic director, Jeremiah Cawley. (Harry Cherkinian)

Comedian

Charlie Berens

charlieberens.com

The live stand-up comedy experience creates instant, if temporary, community with laughter. But the same shtick can also provide reminders of the communities from which we have come, may want to be reminded of and desire reconnection with. Or so believes Milwaukee’s Charlie Berens of the Midwest-centric brand of humor that has made him a funny cultural force representing the U.S. heartland. (Jamie Lee Rake)

Community Festival (Non-Lakefront) 

Bastille Days

easttown.com

While Milwaukee’s French heritage often plays second fiddle to the city’s other cultural ties, the city’s Bastille Days festival is one of the best in the world. Kicked off by the annual Storm the Bastille Run/Walk (celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2026) and crowned by a replica of the Eiffel Tower, the festival is four days of French food, wine, culture and music in Cathedral Square Park.  (Caroline Dannecker)

Dance Company

Milwaukee Ballet

milwaukeeballet.org

Since arriving in Milwaukee in 2002, Artistic Director Michael Pink has reimagined and rechoreographed classic ballets such as Giselle and The Nutcracker, introduced newer work such as Mark Godden’s Carmen and encouraged the next generation of choreographers through the annual Genesis competition. (David Luhrssen)

Ethnic Festival

Milwaukee Irish Fest

irishfest.com

CelticMKE annually puts on the world's largest Irish music festival right here in Milwaukee at Henry Maier Festival Park, celebrating Irish, Irish American and Celtic culture, food and entertainment over an entire weekend. (Ben Slowey)

Illusionist/Magician

Two Brothers One Mind

twobrothersonemind.com

Brothers Chad and Jeff Orr have traveled across the continent with their extraordinary act, which combines mental magic, comedy and audience participation in an attempt to mentally transmit words, thoughts and images between one another. (Ben Slowey)

Lakefront Festival

Summerfest

summerfest.com

It’s hard to imagine now, but before 1969, there were no lakefront festivals, and the Henry Maier Festival Grounds housed a Nike missile base. Summerfest broke the ground and has become one of America’s biggest annual music festivals with a goal to book music in many styles. In 2026, Garth Brooks will headline two nights at the AmFam Amphitheater. (Morton Shlabotnik)

Local Radio Personality

Kat Froehlich-Radio Milwaukee

radiomilwaukee.org

Kat Froehlich has many hobbies ranging from cross-stitch to horseback riding. But it’s her unique on-air persona that garnered her top honors as Local Radio Personality in this year’s Best of Milwaukee awards. She also balances the practical with the creative; her full-tome job is in the tool-and-die business. a true renaissance talent! (Harry Cherkinian)

Local TV Personality/Stage Actor

John McGivern

Johnmcgivern.com

“John McGivern's Main Streets,” hosted by the Emmy award-winning actor, has gained acclaim for its distinct approach to travel programming. Each episode presents a fresh perspective on a different community, highlighting small business owners, restaurateurs, and factory proprietors. Alongside these personal narratives, McGivern delves into historical insights, landmarks, and local attractions that make each destination unique. (Morton Shlabotnik)

Milwaukee Author

John Gurda

johngurda.com

For decades, John Gurda has provided Milwaukeeans with a tour of our city’s history through his books and PBS programs. Who knew that he also conducted actual tours of the city’s historic sites? His side gig as tour guide is the subject of his recent book, John Gurda’s Milwaukee, a guidebook that includes route maps, historic photographs and—Gurda’s specialty—compelling stories. (David Luhrssen)

Movie Theater

Oriental Theatre

mkefilm.org

Years later, what Patti Smith remembered about Milwaukee was performing at the Oriental in the ‘70s, back when the movie palace occasionally doubled as a concert hall. In the ‘90s, the unforgettable venue was carefully divided into three smaller cinemas, and under the stewardship of Milwaukee Film, the Oriental carries on a tradition of programming classics, cult films, art house and indies. (David Luhrssen)

Museum (Non-Art)

Milwaukee Public Museum

mpm.org

MPM is best known for its immersive exhibits from detailed habitat dioramas and the cobblestone Streets of Old Milwaukee exhibit to a life-size model of a Guatemalan marketplace. 2026 will be the last full year to visit the museum—and its iconic built-in exhibits. The museum is moving to a new location where it will become the Nature and Culture Museum of Wisconsin in 2027. (Caroline Dannecker)

Music Education

Wisconsin Conservatory of Music

wcmusic.org

Liberace and Gene Wilder studied at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music. So did Justin Hurwitz, composer of the Oscar-winning score for La La Land, as well thousands of less known professional and amateur musicians. The Conservatory has also become the primary connection between music education and many Milwaukee school students, and has reached beyond traditional classrooms, exposing even the youngest children to the salutary benefits of music. (David Luhrssen)

Best Outdoor Music Series

Chill on the Hill

bayviewneighborhood.org  

Chill on the Hill wins Milwaukee’s Best Outdoor Music Series for its unique lineup of local talent and community-loved tradition. Hosted in Bay View’s beautiful Humboldt Park, the series offers weekly live music in the summer, a variety of food trucks with delicious eats and a relaxed, family-friendly environment. It’s a reliable summer staple that brings neighbors together and highlights Milwaukee’s vibrant music scene. (Sophia Hamdan)

Radio Station

Radio Milwaukee 88.9

radiomilwaukee.org

A repeat winner, Radio Milwaukee wins Best Local Radio Station once again. The station airs an eclectic mix of music genres, amplifying local artists big and small as part of its mission to uplift a diverse musical community. Radio Milwaukee connects creatives and inspires dialogue on our rich musical scene through special concert events, membership drives and online editorial content. (Julia Watt)

Small Performing Arts Group

Milwaukee Jazz Orchestra

mjojazz.com

Founded by saxophonist Curt Hanrahan, MJO began with Hanrahan’s involvement with the Woody Herman Jazz Festival, putting together local musicians to accompany the soloists. Soon after, it became a family affair as various members joined the group and with the Hanrahan family as the core, MJO grew to become the gatekeeper of Herman’s signature sounds. (Harry Cherkinian)

Theater Company

Milwaukee Repertory Theater

milwaukeerep.com

The Rep has long operated three distinct stages within their Downtown complex. This fall they cut the ribbon on the revamped Associated Bank Theater Center. Says Executive Director Chad Bauman, “Audiences will notice the difference immediately: larger and more comfortable seats, improved sightlines, stunning lobbies … and expanded amenities.” Coming in January-February: The Fisherman’s Daughters (Stackner Cabaret), The Lehman Trilogy (Checota Powerhouse Theater) and McNeal (Herro-Franke Studio Theater). (David Luhrssen)